In an recent interview with Eurogamer, Splinter: Cell Blacklist director David Footman says the negative response of some fans to Splinter Cell: Blacklist has been a "kneejerk reaction" and was formed on selected "vertical slices" of the game.
Early footage of the game have showed the ninja-like Sam Fisher in setting that looks more reminiscent of a Call of Duty or Battlefield game, as the Third-Echelon agent is seen traversing through a Middle Eastern desert in broad daylight and engaging in gunfights.
"Everyone can make kneejerk reactions to a vertical slice of the game that are really uninformed as to what the whole experience is like," Footman told Eurogamer. "We really have to be patient as we roll out each item about the game. "The proof is always going to be in the pudding. Talk is talk, and it is just all talk right now. We really need to get a demo out there, for people to see how you can ghost levels, to see the gameplay. It seems to be an overreaction because people are just seeing the 'pow!' the explosiveness."
Footman says the footage is typical of what game companies show at events and that the footage only represents one aspect of the game.
"What we showed at E3 was very explosive, very violent," Footman said. "That kind of stuff tends to get shown, but as we roll out different aspects of the game you'll see a lot more diversity and lot more of what hardcore fans are expecting to see. There are two distinct styles of gameplay - you can ghost a map, or you can go wild as well. There are some areas you'll have to play stealth, but there are areas where you'll find it hard if you don't use wide-open action."
According to Footman violent scenes like the ones depicted in the game are used to reflect things that happen in the real world.
"What people won't say, but what they'll dance around, is that is the price of freedom to protect Americans and their sedans and SUVs," Footman said. "What people won't say, but what they'll dance around, is that is the price of freedom to protect Americans and their sedans and SUVs. Where do you draw the line? What would you do to save your country when all it took was to torture someone using the wrong means? We feel it's an interesting dilemma for the player."
Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Blacklist is the sixth installment in the series and is expected to be released on April 1, for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Microsoft Windows.
Checkout the entire interview at Eurogamer. What do you think of the game's direction and someone besides Michael Ironside voicing Sam Fisher? Watch the "Fifth Freedom" trailer and comment below....